New research by the Participatory Marketing Network (PMN) has found that while nearly all web users aged between 18 and 24 engage in social networking, less than a quarter do so on Twitter.
According to the study, 99 per cent of the 200 Generation Y consumers polled have at least one profile on a social networking website. However, just 22 per cent of these have a profile on Twitter.
The research also looked at how those who do use Twitter utilise the website, with 85 per cent stating that they follow their friends, while 54 per cent follow celebrities and 29 per cent follow family and companies.
Almost four in ten consumers were found to own an iPhone or iPod Touch, while 89 per cent said they had downloaded at least one app to their social networking profiles.
The study was carried out for the PMN by the Lubin School of Business's Interactive and Direct Marketing Lab at Pace University.
Michael Della Penna, co-founder and executive chairman of the PMN, says: "This is a classic 'glass half full' scenario for Twitter because it's clear that Gen Y has an appetite for social networking, but still hasn't fully embraced microblogging."
"There is a tremendous opportunity now for marketers."
Twitter accounted for 1.56 per cent of all UK traffic to social networks and forums in the week ending May 23rd, according to Hitwise.
